The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Tuesday began proceedings in the International Court of Justice against Rwanda for "massive, serious and flagrant violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law." The DRC says that through "killing, slaughter, rape, throat-slitting, and crucifying," Rwanda is guilty of genocide against more than 3,500,000 Congolese, including the victims of the recent massacres in the city of Kisangani.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)and the World Food Programme (WFP) warned Wednesday that at least 10 million people in four southern African countries are threatened by potential famine - and that figure is expected to rise when reports from two other countries are completed. Reports published covering the results of recent joint missions to Malawi, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Swaziland said that millions of people are on the brink of starvation, and that they will face grave food shortages as early as June, which would continue up to the next main harvest, in April 2003.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson voiced concern on Tuesday over abuses in the Republic of Congo (ROC), where fighting has displaced tens of thousands of civilians and prevented aid workers from reaching those in need. "I am deeply concerned at the deteriorating situation," she said, "in particular in the Pool region, where both parties to the ongoing conflict are showing blatant disregard for the safety and human rights of the civilian population."

Radix has just begun to develop a page devoted to the current food emergency in southern Africa. We would welcome any materials (brief comments, reports on work-in-progress, suggestions of web links, electronic reprints of good background essays, etc.) from anyone and everyone. Web site: http://www.anglia.ac.uk/geography/radix/malawi.htm

At least 60 people have died in the latest fighting in Mogadishu, with hundreds wounded, local sources told IRIN on Tuesday. The bloodiest fighting in Somalia in the last few years erupted on Tuesday morning after militia, reportedly loyal to Mogadishu faction leader Muse Sudi Yalahow, clashed with forces of the Transitional National Government (TNG) in north Mogadishu, "in the same general area where clashes between the two sides occurred last Friday [24 May]", Muhammad Tahlil, a north Mogadishu resident, told IRIN.

Africa has to act more decisively in stamping out the wars that blight the continent, the head of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) said on Tuesday. In a speech to mark the OAU's 39th anniversary, Secretary-General Amara Essy said it was imperative to find lasting solutions to conflicts across the continent. He said the new African Union - due to be launched in South Africa in July to replace the OAU - would give fresh impetus to promoting peace and security in Africa.

Zimbabwe's government has declared a state of emergency over HIV/AIDS and will allow the importation and manufacture of generic drugs, a local state-controlled newspaper reported. However, Lindy Francis, director of The Centre, an NGO working with people living with AIDS (PWAs) in Harare said that if true, the declaration was "five years too late".

CHIMPANZEE trafficking is still alive. In a surprise twist of events, the illicit trade has sucked in diplomats and expatriates. They purchase the chimps for sale in Europe, the Middle East and other destinations using their diplomatic immunity. The New Vision has learnt that the chimps are kept as pets, used in circuses and medical research.

As the nation waits for parliament to pass into law a bill on Child Right Derivation, Nigerian children have called on the federal government to establish a Child Rights Monitoring Body to oversee the effective implementation of the law. The call, among other issues, marked the proceedings of a "mock" parliament staged by children to mark this year's children day celebration at the International Women Centre in Abuja.

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) is seriously concerned for the future of human rights in Tunisia, following a constitutional referendum which was, according to the Ministry of the Interior, approved by more than 99 per cent of voters. There is a real danger that the new constitutional powers will be used by the President of the Republic in order to further stifle any dissent within the country and to institutionalise his personal powers by giving him supreme authority over the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, says the organization.

Amnesty International calls for the release of human rights defender Abderrahmane Khelil and his friend Sid Ahmed Mourad. AI also wants an end to the intimidation of human rights activists in the country. The clampdown comes as human rights activists in Algeria investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrest, detention and trials of dozens of people in the context of ongoing anti- government demonstrations in the lead-up to legislative elections on 30 May 2002.

The world has undoubtedly changed radically since 11 September. Yet many things remain the same: a disregard for human life and human dignity, as well as for economic, cultural and social rights; an escalation of old and festering situations such as the Middle East, Afghanistan and Colombia, said Amnesty International as it launched its Report 2002 on human rights in the world during 2001.

Politically motivated violence appears to be decreasing in Zimbabwe, says a report by a local human rights group. "Reported cases and instances of political violence have decreased in comparison to the cases reported in the first four months of 2002," says The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum's latest report.

Inter-Congolese dialogue facilitator Ketumile Masire is continuing efforts to resume the talks with the help of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), Africa's foremost political body. At a meeting on Thursday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, he said "only a minute fraction" remained to be done to complete the dialogue. He added, in a statement released from his office, that if the parties returned to the negotiation table an inclusive deal could be clinched in which there would be neither "victor nor vanquished".

A grouping of nine prominent aid agencies working in Sudan on Thursday warned of the potential for a worsening humanitarian crisis in the south of the country as increased conflict and ongoing flight bans have cut off access to hundreds of thousands of people at a critical time.

Some 25,000 refugees living in Djibouti are at risk of malnutrition, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Thursday. It said supplies for the refuges were "rapidly running out" and appealed for an emergency 8,000 mt of food to deal with the crisis.

Liberian opposition parties have called on the government to heed a recent call by the West African states economic community (ECOWAS) for an immediate ceasefire saying that Liberians preferred "ballots not bullets" as a way of attaining state power.

The European Commission launches a debate on the need for a common policy for the return of undocumented residents. Acting on a proposal from the Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner, António Vitorino, the European Commission has therefore approved a Green Paper on a Community return policy on illegal residents. The European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, the candidate countries, third-country partners, international governmental organisations, non-governmental organisations, the academic world and other interested organisations and individuals from civil society are invited to take part in this discussion. The Commission would like to receive all contributions in writing by 31 July 2002 so that it can make the best possible preparations for a hearing on Community return policy by the summer of 2002.

The president of the rebel Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma), Adolphe Onusumba, has again called for an international independent commission of inquiry into the recent mutiny and killings in Kisangani, northeastern Democratic Republic of
the Congo (DRC). He said on Radio Rwanda on Friday that the RCD had nothing to hide.

Unregistered political parties in Nigeria have filed a suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)over what they say are unconstitutional registration guidelines for political parties.